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Most of the problems that Nigerians blame on corruption is not caused by corruption, but a wrong attitude among Nigerians, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

The president, who made the remark in Yenagoa on Saturday during the burial of the former National Security Adviser, Owoeye Azazi, said that corruption was not the only challenge to good governance.

He stressed the need for attitudinal change among Nigerians for the country to make progress.

Mr. Jonathan made the statement in reaction to a remark made by the Catholic Bishop of Bomadi, Hyacinth Egbebo.

The clergyman had attributed the cause of most accidents on Nigerian roads to bad roads created by corruption in government.

Mr. Jonathan refuted the clergyman’s claim.

“If Nigerians would change their attitude, you will realise that most of these issues being attributed to corruption are not caused by corruption,” the president said.

“Recently, I met with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps who told me that they had discovered that majority of the road accidents are recorded on good roads. So you can see it is not a matter of corruption, it is an issue of the people’s attitude,” the president added.

In his tribute to Mr. Azazi, the president, who was accompanied by his wife, Patience, described the late general as a “detribalised Nigerian, who believed in merit and competence.”

“If 50 per cent of Nigerians would behave like late Azazi, believe me, this country will change for the better.

“I had no regret when I appointed him national security adviser; he was a good Nigerian,” Mr. Jonathan said while urging Nigerians to emulate the good virtues of the late Mr. Azazi “who lived a life of service to his fatherland.”

“As we mourn Azazi, let us learn from his lifetime achievements to do what is right for the general good of our nation. Let us begin to pattern our lives in emulation of late Azazi’s life of devotion and dedication to national service,” the president said.

In his tribute, the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, said the Niger Delta and Nigeria had lost a perfect military officer.

He said that the Rivers Government would name a major road currently under construction in Port Harcourt after Mr. Azazi to immortalise him.

“On Monday, we shall put a signpost to officially name the street, a major road we are currently constructing opposite Elekahia, to be named, “General Andrew Owoeye Azazi Street,” Mr. Amaechi said.

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ayo Oritsejafor, described Mr. Azazi as a man of integrity, whose laudable achievements in national service speaks volume.

“I can say that he is a man of integrity and that is one virtue that stood him out as an accomplished military officer and great leader.

“Truly, a great man has gone but let me say here that greatness is never about what you have but it is about what you do with what you have,” Mr. Oritsejafor said.

In his tribute, the Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, who led other service chiefs to the funeral service, described the deceased as a “firm and transparent Nigerian,” who believed in merit.”

“I recall when Azazi was the Director of Military Intelligence; he changed officers’ negative perception of intelligence corps. He was firm, transparent and believed in merit at all times,” he said.

Mr. Ihejirika said Mr. Azazi died with his lofty dreams of a modernised Niger Delta, which would help to transform the region to great economic power.

The funeral service was attended by many dignitaries. They included service chiefs, traditional rulers, and the former governors of Cross River and Bayelsa States, Donald Duke and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha respectively.

Also in attendance was Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, as well as some members of the Federal Executive Council and state and federal lawmakers.

The remains of the late Mr. Azazi were laid to rest at the Ijaw National Heroes Park in Yenagoa after a funeral mass conducted by Joseph Opelema of St. Patrick’s’ Catholic Church, Yenagoa.

With all due respect Mr. President, I disagree with you. Corruption is what has altered the attitude of Nigerians. Attitudinal change cannot be achieved when the leaders (who are supposed to show good examples) are embedded openly and shamelessly in corruption.

olut.

Mr.President you are wrong. Corruption is part of that so called attitude.

sanusi adamu

Mr president sir,I beg to disagree.Corruption is the bane of Nigeria.The leadership from you to the cleaner are absolutly corrupt.what happens to the corruption crusde ? we are yet to see or hear the conviction of the corrupt people in our midst, who flaunt their illegally acquired wealth without even the slightest rebuke from those in power. Is an attitudinal bane a situation where the president’s mother,wife and what have you will be allotted slot for employment in to the federal service at the expense of the masses who are in dire need of employment,?

Due

What is wrong with this GEJ? Is he saying that corruption is not an attitude? Better for him to keep quite in order to hide his foolishness.

Dan maikoko

You can be sure the president is ecoing the voice of his kitchen cabinet members. This thought is more like the logic of Abati or Okupe. When three corrupt individuals get together what will they attribute corruption to? The attitude of others ofcourse! If anyone doubts me he should take some time to revise the interview where Jonathan refers to making wealth and not reducing poverty. Did any one remembers that those were the exact words of Ngozi Okwonjo-Iweala? The confused and intellectually barren president has forgotten that on morethan ten occasions during his campaigns he stated clearly that reducing poverty was going to be the most important area his administration will concentrate on.

The Vulture – King of Offals

Accountability is the problem. Most Nigerians know they can do things with with impunity, so, they do them and that is why corruption is rife! If accountability was there – simply put – enforcing the laws of the land, people will change, If money is budgeted for something, then, at the end of the day, when it is over with,, the end result should be commensurate with the budgeted amount or function as expected, otherwise, the people in charge should be held responsible . Same with anybody living beyond his/her means – he should be made to explain the source of his income

mr. myle

GEJ should have kept mute because this is very taki of a president. Indeed

SilentObsever

First, the attitude to corruption has to change before we can tackle the monster. Excellence has been thrown away in Nigeria, and replaced with mediocrity and favouritism. The FRSC example of good roads from the President sounds very lame and ridiculous – how do the majority of our drivers obtain their driving licences? A situation where many bus drivers do not have any clues about what road signs mean – cos they simply got their licences by paying their way through – are bad news for other road users. Does this not reek of corruption? As long as our leaders fail to take responsibility for the way Nigeria has become steeped in corruption, we may not find our way out of it just yet. This was another opportunity for our No 1 to reiterate his determination to stamp corruption out of our life, he goofed it by defending the indefensible! What a shame and tragedy!

Papi Dee

This shoeless to clueless clown should just shut the heck up.

Ilumode

From shoeless to clueless and from clueless to brainless………..

dave

Here we go again,the President does not have to talk.This is just another blunder.Attitude and corruption are just two different things.All these comments are just not necessary.It only exposes the President to public ridicule.Nigerians want action and not stories.We elect him president to correct the wrongs and not just giving nigerians lecture on what the problems are.The President should talk less and stop making unfufilled promises.

TOLA ADENLE

CORRUPTION is IT, Mr. President, or can you explain what you mean to “attitudinal change”? D’you mean Nigerians should keep quiet about looting and poor governance that is fast crippling the country?

TOLA ADENLE

The preacher is right, Mr. President. CORRUPTION is at the root of just about all of Nigeria’s ills unless, of course, you can tell Nigerians what this supposed “attitudinal change” means and how it will eradicate the truck-sized craters that swallow vehicles and then spit them and their passengers dead or half dead into the bush. Pretending corruption is not as serious as 99% of Nigerians know it is means you cannot fight it.

SOF

We have an Idiot for a president people!!! What is he talking about? We are in more trouble than I originally thought.